Electric Sheep, Electric Dreams
by ThwippThwipp
Summary: A disappointment as both son and replacement, Harry reluctantly joins a hugely secretive marine operation to track down the missing U.S.S. Gould, a Conestoga-class starship. However, he quickly discovers that Norman is less interested in discovering the fate of the crew as he is in retrieving the ferocious specimens left aboard. In space, no-one can hear you scream. PARKSBORN
1. Part I: Dead-Ringer

**AN: Alien (Ridley Scott)/Blade Runner (Ridley Scott)! AU**

**The blu-ray release of Prometheus recently connected the world of Blade Runner with that of the Alien franchise as a little joke. **  
**I've taken it all too seriously and this is the product of that tumultuous relationship.**  
**Also feat. Tyrell!Tony Stark and Weyland!Norman Osborn**

**If you find yourself confused, I suggest you watch the cinematic sci-fi masterpieces 'Alien' and 'Blade Runner'.**

**Who will SURVIVE? Who WON'T...?**

**Part I: Dead-Ringer**

It had taken him a while to realise that he was no mere human, that he was in fact a 'skin-job' or 'andy'. Perhaps it's in the way his eyes catch the light and sometimes seem to gleam gold when he looks in the mirror, or the way Norman seems to hold him in a warmer regard. As if he were testing the waters and hoping that they weren't tumultuous.

Nevertheless, he figures it out.

He was…_angry._ Why had he been brought back? Was he even Harry anymore? Or was the one before the true Harry? What had happened to Harry?

He had confronted Norman of course, who had coolly answered his questions.

The first Harry had swallowed his own tongue. In the end, he had been brought back simply because Norman did not want to say goodbye. Was he the true Harry? Even Norman couldn't say.

After his revelation, the memories began to bubble up again only they seem foreign to him now. Like he was a voyeur watching in on someone else's life. It was disconcerting and made him feel dirty somehow.

Even when he looked in the mirror, he had to stop and stare at himself. Those eyes – which the magazines heralded as 'piercing blue' – were fake, fake, fake. The dirty blonde hair, was neat and tidy – like the David 7 model - and Harry did not want to ask whether or not it was fake. A feeling akin to nausea rose up within him if he thought about _that_ too much.

He often pinched the skin of his arm and would rub it gently between his fingers. The detail was amazing: pores, the fuzz of blonde air, and even the moles were still there. It successfully hid the intricate wiring, machinery, and strange android fluids running through his system.

But it was fake. He was a fake.

One of his first memories that surfaces is of Harold drinking. A sad, pale boy curled up on well-oiled wooden floor boards surrounded by a mosaic of broken glass, and his fingers curled around a bottle of scotch. The glass that pierces his skin with every sob does not appear to bother him and soon the floor is flooded with glass, tears, and blood.

The memory jarred him when he first happened upon it. But he made sure to reach out for the bottle of scotch and a glass the next time Norman came across him.

He wanted Harry back, so he would try his best to be Harry.

* * *

Next he tries smoking, which he isn't sure Harold ever did, but after hours of studying film and media he knows that with Harold's obsession for scotch and models, smoking is probably an endeavour he took pleasure in as well.

Norman wanted Harry back, so he would try his best to be Harry.

* * *

He isn't allowed to visit any of the other off-world colonies, so he has a limited array of 'models' to choose from. Mostly they take him out to restaurants and many other 'date' destinations. They are always surprised by his new found tolerance for alcohol and smoking queer substances.

It isn't perfect, but the real Harry would do the same if Norman had stopped him from going off-world. So it will do.

* * *

After months of playing the son and struggling with each new memory, finally Norman sits him down to have a serious talk. He hadn't talked with Norman Osborn often, and neither had Harold, but perhaps it was a good sign? Maybe he was finally going to make an effort to repair the years of damage that represented their father-son relationship?

As he sat down, Norman opened the blinds.

Harry winced as the sun-light streamed through the windows. The sunlight would illuminate his face, and undoubtedly his eyes. It would betray that golden glow they emitted, the glow that betrayed his true nature. Norman hated that.

"I had you commissioned, you know," Norman began, but then paused.

Harry nodded politely. _Well that was obvious, Harold Osborn models weren't exactly selling like hot-cakes were they?_

"…I had you commissioned by Stark and by my own scientists of course."

Harry blinked.

"Tony Stark of _Stark Enterprises_? The earth-bound Replicant industry?"

The smile on Norman's face was thin, "Yes. You are the very first Replicant-android hybrid, and likely the last. A special project that Stark agreed to after I pulled his company out of a particularly sticky situation."

That was a surprise. The two had differing approaches to their robotics programs, one centred for human service the other for the 'greater good' of 'Building Better Worlds'.

"As a Replicant, you are afforded more 'human' qualities than my androids. But as an android, you aren't afforded an 'expiry' date, as it were. You are an immortal (minus the updates and recharging), for lack of a better word."

"This was originally in my best interests; I wanted my son for as long as possible. Only now, I feel as though this situation has not worked out. Even now, we aren't really father and son. For this reason, I'm sending you away to fulfil your android tendencies as a part of a space crew as an Oscorp representative. You'll be able to visit all sorts of exotic locations."

Harry's fingers curled against his knees and he remained silent. So that was it. He had failed to become Harry Osborn.

That was the only possible explanation. He had not lived up to expectations and as such, he had been let go. Norman was not a father, not a creator. No, Norman Osborn was a manufacturer. He built, and then gave away his creations.

"Go have a life. Just not here."

Finally, he understood. Harry Osborn too had been thrown away, and now Norman Osborn was throwing him away again.

* * *

A skin-job such as Harry would always have difficulty fitting in with others, but his advantage came from the fact that he looked and acted exactly like Harold Theopolis Osborn and was a high-ranking representative of Oscorp.

The transition into the workforce had not been an easy feat. The other representatives like Menken and Ratha would never fully accept him, but Harry was not sure whether that was because they had discovered his condition or if they were merely judgemental due to his young appearance. It probably wasn't in Norman's best interests to advertise that he had a Replicant/android hybrid for a son.

He did not imagine that would go down well with the board of directors or with the general public. It was more within Stark's arena to play god after all. Norman's robotics program was widely celebrated and he would not want Harry to tarnish that image.

In fact, Harry had a creeping sensation that the only thing keeping him functioning was the fact that he was a dead-ringer for Norman's late son. Not a comfortable thought.

Nevertheless, Harry had learnt to juggle Norman's board and his shady representatives too. One shouldn't prod Menken, or question Ratha. The board was to be entertained, not chastised. Harry had never imagined that his job would involve jumping through hoops but things never did go his way after all…

* * *

Oscorp was a billion-dollar company that sought to 'Build Better Worlds' and had set the bar for many cybernetic (Harry being an example), technological, and terraforming advancements. As such, it had many employees, weapons, starships, and planets under its belt.

As the ex-heir to the mighty empire, Harry knew all about it.

Well, enough to know that when a _Conestoga_-class starship went missing, Oscorp would do whatever it could to recover such an impressive weapon and sheer technological wonder. The starship in question was the U.S.S. _Gould_, a light assault carrier, which had been exploring the outer boundaries of space on a top-secret research mission. Secretive enough, that it required a number of colonial marines and one of Oscorp's best research teams.

Inevitably, the board meeting had been furtive and everyone had looked on edge.

Harry knew they were hiding something particularly important. Norman would never divulge it to him, much less to the rest of the board. Only shady characters like Menken and Ratha were truly 'informed', as it were.

But still, thousands of questions burned within his mind. What had happened to the crew? Had they been attacked by scavengers? A criminal entity like Domashev? Or Strucker? What type of cargo had they been carrying? Had it attracted negative attention? Like him, the public had been equally disturbed by the mysterious disappearance.

It wasn't long before a rescue mission had been arranged.

Heading the exhibition into the outer boundaries was a team of marines, several Oscorp representatives and scientists, and the crew of the ship itself. And one of those representatives was Harry.

Of course, being a representative on an important mission was an honour, but Harry was lonelier than ever. Norman was casting him as far away as possible, to live beside Menken and Ratha of all people. It wasn't easy to be so discarded by one who claimed to love you. Had Harry felt the same? When he sorted through his memories, it certainly seemed that way. What made it worse was that Harry Osborn had been a very social creature, and had never been exposed to genuine friends. Loneliness was no new concept to him.

Was it worse to be surrounded by false friends or no friends at all?

To top it all off, androids were still a topic of controversy.

Could he expect to be met with judgement and discrimination? Would his crew welcome him or despise him behind their hands and ignore him completely?

It was difficult enough being Harry Osborn, but now he was Harry Osborn the android.

.

.

**AN**

**Terms**

**Earth –** nearly completely devoid of organic life, but still densely populated by humans. Residents have difficult time migrating to off-world colonies specifically if they can't afford it or are burdened with disease/disabilities. Residents are derogatorily referred to as 'Earthies' due to their impugned status as residents of the dying planet. (situation inspired by world of Blade Runner)

**Skin-job –** a derogatory term for a Replicant; used in Ridley Scott's film "Blade Runner" (an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?")

**U.S.S. _Reed_ –** the _Conestoga_-class starship that the crew embark on (the exact same class of starship as the _Sulaco_ seen in "Aliens")

**U.S.S. _Gould_ –** a _Conestoga_-class starship that has been presumed missing after a highly secretive mission gone wrong


	2. Part IIa: The USS Reed

**Part IIa: The U.S.S.****_ Reed_**

The U.S.S. _Reed_ was, like the _Gould_, a _Conestoga_-class starship and an altogether intimidating structure. At a height of just under three-hundred feet, the Reed was a colossal and dark beast, with a surprisingly stream-line interior. However, its true contents reflected its outward appearance as a light-assault carrier which could accommodate for over ninety passengers and two thousand hibernation pods, as well as space for eight _Cheyenne _dropships.

It was not a ship that one would lightly engage in war-fare.

But while its security should have brought comfort to the young son of Norman Osborn, it did quite the opposite as the boy realised that the mysterious U.S.S. _Gould_ would be almost equally intimidating when they came across it. Heaven forbid if scavengers had taken it and worked out the controls!

He took some comfort in that the crew were a strong-hearted bunch. The captain, Steve Rogers, and his crew were undoubtedly a good sort, and undoubtedly a strange bunch of people to be hired by Oscorp at such a level. The effect of power and corruption usually seeped into their kind but the crew could not have been the least affected by it.

What surprised Harry the most, however, were the remaining two crew members.

The warrant officer, Natasha Romanoff, was a quiet woman with a coy smile and judgmental gaze. She sized up each and every person she encountered and could determine their nature from that look.

The other one, Loki Laufeyson, was a quiet soul who barely spoke but when he did could soothe even the angriest voice. Harry had the sneaking suspicion, that the science officer could just as easily nurture that anger into something else. A dangerous gift.

But the sly nature of these beings was not what had enraptured him.

No, it was the fact that both Natasha and Loki were _androids_.

The crew didn't seem to mind either, and interacted with the pair as smoothly as one would a friend, or co-worker.

Perhaps there was some hope for him too.

Unfortunately, the presence of the Oscorp businessmen and the colonial marines was enough to keep Harry on edge. Most of the businessmen were toxic throughout, whilst the marines were large, stocky and thoroughly grumpy. Harry did not trust them not to hate androids or Replicants.

As they boarded the _Reed_, Harry had felt the eyes of the marines on him. It had sent a chill down his spine. Were they hoping to catch a glimpse of the infamous Harry Osborn? Or had they figured him out so quickly? Norman certainly had.

He sorely wished that Norman had sent a battalion of combat androids instead. Despite their streak of violence, the combat androids were his 'kind' really so Harry would have felt safer surrounded by his fellow androids than by this rabble of colonial marines. Never mind how deeply they resided in Norman's pocket.

Unfortunately, combat androids were still condemned by the Geneva Convention. Although, Harry knew that Norman still employed them for his high-security facilities within the Corinth Colony, and on May Outpost.

Oscorp was about testing the bounds of science and expanding humanity's grasp over the universe, after all. It was definitely not about bothering to ask "should" or "why". Never mind what the authorities would think.

That simply wasn't the Osborn way.

* * *

Space travel could span the length of months, years, or even decades, thus humans would be put into hypersleep on such journeys to prevent biological aging and deterioration. As reaching the last recorded coordinates of the _Gould_ would take two years at the most, Harry found himself feeling very lonely as all of his ship-mates were put under in the hibernation chambers.

He didn't get to interact with Natasha or Loki very much at all as they had their own duties around the massive spacecraft.

Therefore aside from the occasional recharging, a trait common to the android rather than the Replicant, Harry often found himself wandering the lonely decks of the _Reed _or watching over his fellow ship-mates as they slept.

Whilst studying the culture of the humans, both off-world colonists and 'Earthies', was interesting what he found infinitely more curious was the dreams of his fellow crew-men. As they slept inside their hibernation pods, Harry found himself poring over their dreaming patterns.

Many of them were colonists and would dream of their home-planets. Harry recognised many of the exotic locations from the memories that had been grafted unto him. However, the youngest marine, Parker, was an Earthie. It was unusual for an Earthie to find work so easily off-world, but the military would take anyone on.

Nevertheless, Harry enjoyed watching his dreams the most. Earth was a dank, miserable rock that was bustling with activity. So unnatural yet alive. Like him, a machine. It was so different from any of the places Harry Osborn had visited in his life.

Man-kind had destroyed Earth and had perverted it beyond recognition. Harry knew what Earth had originally looked like as it was stored in his database – it had been green, growing, thriving, and positively overflowing with life. Only now, all of the animals were gone and their harsh electric counterparts had taken their place. The few organic species left had been transported to the off-world colonies and watched over with unwavering eyes.

Of course, the Osborn family had a variety of animals. Harry had owned a pretty parrot called Greenie, only now Norman took care of it. He did not trust him, the new Harry, with it.

Animals had become a commodity on Earth. Real animals were hard to come by though, so the electric ones had taken their place. They were a status symbol.

So naturally, Harry had been surprised by Peter's memories when a real-live spider had shown up in it. It was black, hairy, and undoubtedly real. Humans would never be able to tell the difference, but Harry could.

Perhaps Peter merely dreamed of owning it, rather than the spider actually belonging to him? That seemed more likely. An electric spider was expensive, but a _real _spider was priceless.

Thus, Peter Parker had his undivided attention.

When they had been boarding, Peter's stare had puzzled him the most. It was a friendly gaze, but also an admiring one. It was a look of such pure goodness that Harry had stumbled. No one had stared at Harry Osborn like that. Not with an open, friendly gaze that had no thoughts of gain or selfishness. Not when he had been alive at least. Parker was a strange young man.

Harry quickly moved on to the next pod to study the behemoth known as Flash Thompson.

.

.

**AN: Terms****Earthie** – a derogatory term for a resident of Earth; a term coined by Asimov in his book "The Gods Themselves"

**Earth** – nearly completely devoid of organic life, but still densely populated by humans. Residents have difficult time migrating to off-world colonies specifically if they can't afford it or are burdened with disease/disabilities. Residents are derogatorily referred to as 'Earthies' due to their impugned status as residents of the dying planet. (situation inspired by world of Blade Runner)

**U.S.S. _Reed_ –** the Conestoga-class starship that the crew embark on (the exact same class of starship as the Sulaco seen in "Aliens")

**U.S.S. _Gould_ –** a Conestoga-class starship that has been presumed missing after a highly secretive mission gone wrong


	3. Part IIb: Peter Parker

**Part IIb: Peter Parker**

It was many months later, just short of two years, when the ship finally reached its destination.

Harry did not linger within the hypersleep chambers to greet his likely disgruntled and very naked crew as they wiped the residue of the cryosleep fluid from their bodies and their systems awoke. They would likely be irritable and the risk of hearing them muttering 'skin-job' in his general direction was heightened.

He would prefer not to engage at all, really.

It was later on, that he finally stumbled across them. As hypersleep made one hungry, nearly all of them were feasting in the cafeteria whilst several autochefs processed their orders of Company approved food. Judging by their disgusted expressions, the food was not of the flavoursome variety.

Harry tilted his head politely at the two other androids as he made his way across the hall. Like him, they were both headed to their respective stations. They did not require food, and apparently did not desire the conversation of those around them.

Just as he was about to talk with Natasha, a shouting marine caught his attention.

"Hey you!"

The man may not have even by hailing him, but Harry found himself turning around anyway. Oh, it was the spider marine. Harry raised an eyebrow.

Peter Parker smiled, "Yeah, you. I saw you in a magazine with some French supermodel. That was you, right?"

Harry grimaced. _Well, no, not exactly. He'd never seen another off-world colony save for the busy rock that he lived on with Norman and the spaceport. But he couldn't really say that could he?_

Instead, he nodded politely and then turned away from the man. Maybe it was rude, but it really wasn't any of the man's business whom Harry Osborn met up with.

Apparently, the man wasn't done, as he quickly ran towards Harry and grabbed his arm lightly. Harry glared at the offending appendage.

"H-Hey! Aren't you gonna come sit down? You must be as hungry as the rest of us!"

Harry winced at the remark and Natasha stiffened visibly beside him.

_Ah._ So that was it. He didn't know.

Although it wasn't really in his coding to be offended, Harry couldn't help the feeling that he was becoming rather irritated. Artificial emotions were strange.

Nevertheless, he kept his tone even and polite, "Not really, no."

Parker stared at him earnestly and his eyes seemed doe-like, "Aw, come on. You should come meet the rest of us. I insist!"

To Harry's own surprise he conceded and let the young marine drag him over to the tables. He shooed Natasha away with a whispered, "I'll catch up."

He blamed the deep, brown eyes that were set attractively into Peter Parker's skull.

* * *

The official crew of the _Reed _were a talkative bunch who would sit and chat quite happily amongst themselves; totally different to the marines who were quite withdrawn, save for Thor Odinson who liked to beat the table with his fists to accentuate his conversation.

Harry had the pleasure of being walled in between the marine Peter Parker and one of the on-board engineers named Sam Wilson. Both were incredibly optimistic, and equally snarky. As Harry reflected, he remembered that Sam Wilson's dreams had been alive with birds – a lucky person to have a hobby such as bird-watching, even more so if he actually owned one. Wilson's home planet of New Earth definitely contained many of the species.

When queried, Wilson revealed he had a pet falcon. Harry was impressed, and spoke to Wilson with a friendlier tone. Any Osborn was pleased by wealth and status, but perhaps it was Wilson's friendly nature that had hooked him instead…

Understandably, Peter did not contribute any of his Earth memories to the conversation. Being an Earthie was not something to be proud of, and the idea that you missed anything from that planet? Absurd.

But Peter did nudge him occasionally, both with elbow and knee (the latter which made Harry's emotion bank flare with confusion), and tried his hardest to include him in the conversation. Despite his efforts, Harry talked little as well, though he did smile politely and engage with the others. They all knew him as Harry Osborn. What part of his life _wasn't _kept secret from them? Any secrets he had left were not something you brought up in polite conversation.

Most of the marines had been trained on the May Outpost, a colony and key security outpost on the planet KOI-610.01. But like Harry, they did not talk much about it, but did find the time to regale him with many tales of their adventures and debauchery as a team.

Whilst others like Lieutenant Barnes (Bucky for short), Rumlow, and Felicia generally kept quiet, Harry quickly discovered that he had been wrong, and that the marines were in fact as chummy as the official crew of the _Reed_.

As sad as it was to admit, Harry had never before been surrounded by so many genuinely _human_ people.

Immediately after lunch, the loud-speaker blared demanding the presence of every crew-member for the de-briefing. Harry's voice recognition sensor penned the husky, tired voice as that of Lieutenant Barnes.

When they had all gathered within the hangar bay, Bucky, weary from hypersleep, approached the make-shift dais. Harry recognised the device he was holding as an Oscorp issue Holotab. From the Holotab, he projected his presentation onto the nearing blank wall and began the de-briefing:

"While we've been dreaming away in hypersleep for the past few months, the Company has been working hard to recover the location of the U.S.S. _Gould_. They've been thoroughly searching the area where the _Gould_ was before we lost all connection, and they've managed to track it to these coordinates."

Bucky indicated to the left of the screen, "As you can see, it's just a few clicks away from the _Reed_. We're going to board as soon as possible, meaning the next few days. After a few months in hypersleep, I'm sure we're all eager to see this mission wrapped up as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"At the moment, we suspect foul-play. Even if the crew were incapacitated, the ship should have continued on route as the operation of that ship is fully automated. That means that the Commanding Officer had to have overridden the ship's navigation route."

"Keep in mind, we're not yet sure if this is a rescue mission, a crime-scene, or both. I'll need everyone to be vigilant. We don't know what we're facing, if we're facing anything at all. Best case scenario: we recover all the missing persons with zero casualties on both sides. I don't want to think about a worse case, but just in case we need to separate I'm dividing us up into three teams."

Bucky swiped a finger across the smooth surface of the Holotab and the screen changed. Every crew member's name appeared each in four separate sections.

"Firstly, we have the _Reed_ team consisting of executive officer Carter, navigator Watson, engineer Dillon, Oscorp scientist Dr. Stacy, as well as the _Reed_ android Laufeyson. _Reed_ team, you will be remaining on board this starship. Your mission is to convey any information concerning the state of both starships, and monitoring the other three teams. You must be prepared for any immediate changes in situation such as incoming hostiles."

The one-armed man continued to the second group.

"Now for Group I, consisting of my good self, on-flight engineer Wilson, the Oscorp scientist Dr. Banner, as well as my fellow marines Parker and Hardy. We also have with us an Oscorp representative in the young Harry Osborn."

Harry kept his face carefully neutral as the crew began to whisper amongst themselves. Those who weren't previously aware were clearly surprised that they had an Osborn in their midst. The attention bothered him. He already knew that it had bothered his predecessor. The unwavering gazes and hushed up voices. It was maddening.

But his team wasn't too bad. Bucky seemed like a competent and strong leader. Sam had already proved himself to be a friendly and reliable companion. The young Felicia Hardy was the quiet sort who seemed to be one of the very few crew members who did not make efforts to invade his personal space or private life. That enough was worthy of his respect.

Dr. Banner was not of the same nature as Menken and Ratha, but Harry had never really interacted with him either.

Peter Parker was an interesting specimen. He annoyed Harry slightly, but there was something attractive about his snarky demeanour and easy smile. So far, he'd proven to be a good friend to him.

"For Group II, we have Captain Rogers…"

Already those around him whose names had been called began to lose interest in Bucky's de-briefing. Flash Thompson even began to snore slightly.

Meanwhile, Harry continued to listen attentively as it was in his coding to do so. Any information could prove to be valuable, especially to a representative of Oscorp on a mission to explore a starship.

* * *

After the de-briefing, Harry retreated away to the main bridge with Loki and Natasha. He sat back quietly to study their work as they helped direct the ship's course with Steve, Peggy, and Mary-Jane. The hours seemed to tick by amongst such fine company, and Harry sorely wished that he could become a permanent fixture of their crew. They hadn't warmed up completely to him, but they were friendly enough and gave interesting conversation.

Soon enough, their quirks became apparent to him.

Steve and Peggy were particularly warm towards each other, and judging by the knowing side-eye that Mary-Jane gave them, there was definitely some sort of complicated flirtation going on. Mary-Jane was very talkative and very vivacious, like a miniature sun illuminating the bridge room. If the others winced occasionally, she just continued to shine.

Loki was a bit of a loner, but the others would always go to him for advice for anything, often slapping him on the shoulder heartily afterwards. Although he complained, Harry got the sense that he didn't mind too much.

Natasha was the quietest of them all, but still held the best conversation. Her intelligent nature drew them in like flies, rather than repel which often was the case with the intellectual type.

All of them treated Harry with respect, and kindness.

It was a strange, to be around such non-hostile people. People he could call friends.

* * *

Harry sat with the marines and his crew at meal-times, often sitting next to Peter or Natasha. Through their discussions, he quickly discovered that Peter was surprisingly intelligent and of a scientific mind. As a result of their frequent interaction and their similar sense of humour, they had struck up a camaraderie of sorts.

Peter even talked to him about Earth, after much pushing on Harry's behalf. He was a curious machine, as it was in the nature of an Oscorp android to absorb as much information as possible. He already knew a great deal about the desolate planet, but an eye-witness account would always hold great worth.

The marine lived with his aunt, and did not talk of his parents or uncle.

Harry knew about the parents already; Peter's dreams had been very vivid concerning them. The uncle remained a mystery.

Of course, a friendship was built by two people. So Harry had to contribute too.

What was difficult though was sorting through his memories and discussing Harry Osborn's life with his new friend. Many of Harry's memories were painful, too painful for even an android to process. It had been an undoubtedly bright spark of a life, but a tragic one and as such the memories were laced with betrayal, death, and overdosing.

He never went into detail, but he had to sort through so much pain to find even one good memory that was worth discussing.

Peter was very interested in his travels, and often asked about the supermodels he met. Harry had laughed at that, especially the look on Peter's face when he found out most of the models had been male. A shy awkward life had escaped Peter's lips and he'd smiled in the goofiest way.

A confusing response, but perhaps just an apt reflection of Peter's confusion.

It seemed the media did not know much about Harry Osborn after all.

Eventually, Peter told him about the spider.

"A friend gave it to me," He grinned, though his eyes were sad, "A sort of goodbye present. We didn't even know each other that well."

"A friend gave you a _real _spider?" Harry's eyes gleamed appreciatively, "Looks like generosity runs a bit more rampant on Earth than I thought."

Peter laughed, half-serious, "Don't get ahead of yourself; Earth is still a total pit. I think every lowly person in the galaxy has made their home there. She was just particularly exceptional."

They were quiet for a moment after that. Peter had sounded too bitter, but what it revealed about the marine, Harry did not know.

* * *

On their final day before the mission, Peter cornered him outside the laboratory.

"Hey, Har!"

Harry turned as the marine ran to catch up with him in the hallway. He smiled warmly; that nickname had solidified their friendship in a way that their constant interaction hadn't. It made Harry feel not so lonely after all.

He smiled at his friend and they began to meander around the endless corridors.

"Pete."

Of course, he'd returned the favour with a nickname of his own.

The marine's smile widened, "You excited for tomorrow then?"

"I'm not sure," Harry shrugged; "I haven't been off-world bef- uh, well to the boundaries of space. Yeah. It'll be an experience."

He fidgeted, but managed the recovery. Judging by Peter's nod anyway.

"Yeah, I haven't been on too many assignments out this far before. It should hopefully be a piece of cake, but the Lieutenant was awfully disheartening during the de-briefing…"

"Not to worry, Pete. If it's a hostage situation, I am very good bartering material, believe me. It's happened a few times already. Tenth time's the charm."

Peter laughed and pushed him away, "You dork. Why would they want a brat like you? You'd piss them off with your inhumane demands. Like, 'where is my foie grass' and 'bring me more grapes, slave'."

Restraining his laughter, Harry pulled a look of thoughtfulness, "Hmmm….I think that actually happened once. They got tired of me and actually paid Norman to take me back."

Peter gaped in faux surprise, "Why am I not shocked?"

"You should be. A piece of ass this attractive should be selling for millions, not handed back without a receipt. Stupid idiots."

A cunning light appeared in Peter's eyes, so apparent that it made Harry raise an eyebrow.  
"What are you planning?"

"Nothing. I just came to a conclusion."

They had stopped mid-walk and Peter instead, began to move closer to Harry with a sly grin plastered across his goofy features. Harry blinked upwards at him.

"And?"

"You _are_ an attractive piece of ass. Personality could use a bit of work though."

Peter's face hung close to his own. Though confused by the intimacy, Harry kept talking to hide his puzzlement.

"Don't be stupi…"

But no sooner had he opened his mouth, he found Peter's lips moving against his own, pressing earnestly against the artificial skin. Harry cursed his short stature which the marine had taken advantage of so quickly.

Feeling overwhelmed, Harry made no move to push him away, despite his superior strength as an android, and was quickly crowded against the wall as Peter slipped his arms around his waist.

He could hear the mechanical whirring of his limbs as they articulated backwards, and creaking as Peter lifted his chin and his head was pushed backwards. The marine's hand came up to caress the fake, yet meticulously designed skin of his face. The tips of his knuckles brushed the peach fuzz there, dusted over his sharp jaw bone, and curled into the pointed steel of his cheek. It was a strange embrace. They stood like that for a while, but finally Peter moved away, a thin string of saliva connecting their lips together.

As Peter moved backwards, the harsh white lighting illuminated Harry's face. The marine's eyes widened considerably and his brow furrowed.

"Your eyes…they're…"

Harry brushed him off and snapped, "_Gold_. Yes, I know."

_"Wha-"_

Peter Parker _still _did not get it.

Harry's emotion bank flared once again, only it made his entire form shake with rage. Something was wrong with his wiring, but he would figure that out later. First he would deal with this idiot.

Hissing inaudibly, he brought his hand up to Peter's face and snapped off an index finger with a harsh _crack_. The pus-yellow and white Android fluid spilled freely from the breakage and small sparks flew upwards.

"I'm an _android_ you fool."

Peter's jaw hung agog in shock and he looked slightly nauseous as he looked at Harry's broken finger. Unable to handle the tense atmosphere, Harry immediately turned on his heel to get away from Peter, and more importantly to fix his broken hand before they set out on their mission.

Internally, he couldn't imagine why he was so irritated over the incident.

* * *

Loki was very disdainful about Harry's predicament and even laughed at him. Of course, Harry hadn't told him about Peter, but had merely mentioned that he had broken his finger in a fit of rage. Though he kept his mouth resolutely shut, his thoughts were quickly riddled with confusion.

The true Harry Osborn had enjoyed many a romantic endeavour; few were serious and most were less romantic as they were utterly sexual. But Harry the android had anxiety about making friends of all things, so encounters of the intimate kind were definitely not on his radar.

As an Oscorp android, he could emulate emotion but not truly exhibit it. Oscorp did not invest in pleasure models, but rather sought to imitate life in order to make the buyer more 'comfortable'. But Stark's Replicants, however, came in all sorts of models. Many of which were the pleasure type. Perhaps it was his Replicant programming that was encouraging his loose behaviour? It certainly had nothing to do with Oscorp.

All the same, Peter had kissed him and he had ran. Now he would have to deal with the fallout. Hopefully, Peter would be comfortable just remaining friends. It wasn't like he could act on his feelings, what little was there, that imagined Peter to be attractive and the best company that he had ever known.

No. Absolutely Not.

An Earthie and an Android?

The very notion was absurd.

.

.

**AN: **The fight for survival begins….next chapter.  
Also, Replicants have gold rings around their eyes – reveals their 'golden souls'. Hell, use that in your Blade Runner essays. Score some points.  
Anyway, it isn't meant to be a noticeable feature but for the sake of this fic why not?


	4. Part III: Ghost Ship

**AN: Oh look at that they landed on the big scary Gould.**

**...who will survive? Who won't?!**

**Part III: Ghost Ship**

It was not in his coding to feel fear, which was why androids were such efficient battle machines and on-ship companions. Really, they were _built_ for dealing with high-risk situations. However, Harry's companions were obviously not wired in the same way as he. As he surveyed the dropship he noted that each face was overcome in a silent dread, clear nausea or cold anticipation, and each and every one of them was laced with fear. All them were still in their seats, save for the shaking of the ship, and their knuckles and faces were pale. Perhaps missions never got easier for them…?

Turning his head, he caught the eye of Peter, who immediately flushed and returned his gaze to the grated floor. Harry glared; Peter's actions were foolish.

Though his irritation was quickly forgotten as a dread began to overcome him as they got closer and closer to the _Gould_. But not fear. He could not fear. But he could dread what was coming, for they were all of them heading directly into the gaping maw of the unknown.

Finally, they landed, albeit shakily, inside the vast hangar bay of the U.S.S. _Gould_. The first thing the group registered, as they emerged from the shuttle, was that all the lights were out save for the awfully dim emergency lighting that was flickering madly. True to its recorded inventory, the _Gould_ had a mere four drop-ships stationed within its bowels.

The second thing that grabbed their attention was that the darkened hangar appeared to be abandoned.

"No signs of movement." Flash called mechanically as he pointed the equipment around the room.

"No signs of movement in the northern corridor either." Hill barked.

Rogers nodded at Bucky, and then said loudly, "Alright, let's bring out the spectagraphs."

The small marine Felicia brought forward a small black case and opened it, revealing a number of metal orbs. A thin strip of red ran along the hemisphere of each.

"Alright, Private, show us what these little guys can do."

Immediately, a number of the orbs rose up into the air and each took off in different directions towards the doors exiting the hangar bay, swinging beams of red light across every surface as they flew.

"So what do those things do anyway?" Peter asked.

"Those _spectagraphs_ are going to map out each and every corner of this starship." Harry murmured back at him, noting with amusement that Peter's ears had turned pink at their interaction; "They will let us know if there are any organic life-forms - _alive_ ones - still aboard this ship."

The engineer, Sam Wilson, who was standing beside him, looked bemused, "You've really done your homework, huh?"

Harry returned the smile, "I'm the heir of Oscorp, remember?"

They both chuckled slightly, but were broken from their revelry by Peggy's update over their earpieces.

_"Lieutenant, Captain, this is Peggy. The mapping is in-progress... it's strange, but judging from the feedback, there seems to be a large concentration of organic life within the bowels of the ship. This number is greater than that of the crew of the_ Gould."

"That is strange," Rogers mused, "Keep us updated, Peg."

_"Will do."_

The captain then turned to face the marine leader, "Bucky, we should probably divide up our groups now. I think there might be a third party on board, probably scavengers of some sort. Maybe even pirates."

The lieutenant nodded and waved his prosthetic arm high in the air to capture the group's attention.

"Alright, everyone listen up! We're going to split up into our groups now. Group III will stay here, whilst Group II and I will head to the engine room."

With that, they began the dark descent into the bowels of the ship.

* * *

The hallways were even darker than the hangar, with less emergency lighting to interrupt the sweeping darkness that surrounded them.

Fortunately for Harry, he was equipped with night-vision, and was having much more ease walking than the marines, with their inferior goggles.

_Crash._

Heads turned, only to see that Private Flash Thompson had slipped over. The marines laughed at the sight of the burly young man sprawled across the floor. Flash looked disgusted.

"Awww _hell_, what _is_ this shit?"

He pulled his hand away from the floor, only it a thin meniscus fluid had come away with it. It was a pale, greenish slime that was half-translucent.

To Harry's right, Peter covered his mouth and gagged.

The android merely raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued by the find if nothing else.

Bucky prodded the slime with his boot thoughtfully, "This looks unlike anything I've seen before. Banner, Conners, what do you make of this?"

The two Oscorp scientists shuffled forward to examine the strange fluids.

"…it's definitely organic." Banner mused, prodding the substance with a gloved finger.

"You might want to see this," Conners said, awestruck, as he pulled what appeared to be a leathery rag away from the goo.

Bucky looked dumbstruck, _"What on earth is that?_ I-it looks like _skin_…"

"It is." Harry concluded, also enraptured by the find; "But I can't find a suitable match in my database. It's probably a new species."

The two scientists exchanged pointed looks, before taking samples and getting back to their feet. The marines looked thoroughly disgusted, Flash more so than the others.

Shaking his head, Bucky began marching onwards, "Alright, let's keep moving people. This is not a research assignment."

* * *

After Flash's fall, the atmosphere seemed less tense. It was amazing what a little laughing could do to lift the spirits of those around him.

Even so, Bucky's serious demeanor did not waver. They had not been walking for very long, but things were already strange. They had not seen one crew member, or even a hostile force, and they had quite literally stumbled across an alien substance the likes of which had not been seen before. Harry could very well understand Bucky's cold manner. The very ship oozed danger.

Eventually they came to a stop, just outside the top level of the engine room.

Bucky turned to the group, "Alright everyone, we're looking for survivors, but we're also looking to find out what happened to the ship and why it's been stranded out here. The Company was particularly adamant about that so I want to see video files, security tapes, anything. If you find something, wire it over to the _Reed_ and they'll keep us updated. Alright, let's keep moving!"

The doors were open, and the control panel broken, so the group advanced easily.

Pointing their flash-lights, the first room was quickly illuminated.

In-between the rows of computers, most of them broken, were toppled chairs. The room was in disarray. But what covered the walls, was what really caught their attention.

It was a nightmare.

Solidified columns of the alien goo hung about the room, and strewn around the floor were leathery orbs, around a third of a meter high. They were neatly arranged, with a comfortable space around each, as if they had been set down purposely.

"What the hell…" Bucky breathed, running the beam of his flashlight back and forth across the room.

Stepping towards the closest column, Harry observed it closely.

He would never have approached such a strange object if not for his…disposition. What he did next was even more so unnatural.

Harry prodded the column gently with his finger, and flakes of the cemented structure immediately fell away and crashed to the floor. A shot of surprise ran through him as he saw what lay within.

Beside him, Peter yelped and stumbled back.

"My god. There are _people_ in these things."

There was indeed a person trapped within the foul column. Their mouth was agog, with both of their arms held fast beside their thrown back head. Their contorted position seemed to epitomise pain.

What was most surprising, however, was the gaping hole in the centre of their chest which was only lightly coated in the strangling cement.

"Let me," Natasha pushed past them to observe the corpse.

Brushing away any loose bits of organic cement with one hand, Natasha reached through any gaps and studied what was left of the corpse.

She pulled her hand back to reveal the filthy remains of a badge.

"These aren't the uniforms of any Oscorp employee or marine…"

Recognising the badge, Bucky shook his head in disgust, "No, these are scavengers."

"How on _earth _did scavengers get onto this ship?" Steve exclaimed to no one in particular; "These starships have some of the tightest security I've ever seen…"

"I'm more concerned with what did this to them." Bucky mused, staring at the corpse.

He then turned to the others, "Check the other columns…there may be more clues."

The group spread out about the room and began to clear away any filth in order to better identify the many different corpses.

"I found an Oscorp employee!" Clint called.

"There's a marine over here!" Flash shouted.

Already, Bucky was relaying all the information to Peggy over his comm-link. Likewise, Harry was processing all the new data in front of him. It was so strange. Who or what had done this to these people?

"All of these people are dead." Natasha said, her tone disturbingly neutral. Of course, she could not help that.

"All right, back to the doorway, marines. I don't want you disturbing these things anymore until we get a scientific opinion." Bucky barked.

The marines quickly assembled by the doorway, all of them happy to put distance between themselves and the corpses.

They all turned to face the two Oscorp scientists, eager for an explanation. The two looked thoughtful as they surveyed the mess.

Bucky gestured to the columns, "Well, what can you tell me, Connors? Banner?"

Harry leaned in; he was just as curious as the lieutenant to hear the two scientists' conjecture.

Both scientists were quiet for a moment, their eyes closed and brows furrowed.

Eventually, after clearing his throat, Connors offered his own theories:

"Well, this stuff appears to be the same organic matter that Private Thompson slid on earlier… its being used, by we know not who, to trap victims in here. We still have to determine for what reason that is… but something's killed all these people. Their rib cages have been torn right through. Maybe the scavengers used them as hostages…?"

Banner shook his head, "No, I don't think so. There are scavengers strapped to these walls as well."

Fuelled by an insatiable curiosity, Harry too went to examine the corpse that Natasha had prodded at. Slowly, he ran his finger along the ruptured bones of the scavenger's rib-cage, and then took a step back, taking in the entire picture.

_The exaggerated throes of death, the structure of the wound…_

Then it hit him.

"Lieutenant," he said slowly, "Whatever killed these people, it erupted from _inside _their chests. Not the other way around."

"He's right." Natasha said, staring coolly at the dead man.

Bucky tilted his head questioningly, but nodded anyway.

"You guys are the experts… but what do you make of these leathery things…?"

The group turned their attention away from the cement graveyard, to the ugly, wrinkly pods that laced the floor. Noticeably, the ones nearest the dead bodies looked more shrunken in comparison to their taut counterparts, which lay further from the walls.

They were disturbingly well arranged; at least that's what Harry thought. Whatever had placed them down had done so intentionally, with care.

The marines stepped forwards expectantly, but Bucky called them back.

"We'd better let the actual _scientists_ in the room take a look before we mess around with these things."

Wringing his hands nervously, Connors took a step backwards, surprising the group.

The man had been enthusiastic enough with the alien material when Flash had stumbled across it, and again when they'd uncovered the cocoons, only for him to bow out now.

Of course, Harry did not blame the man.

The discovery of an alien substance aboard the ship had not been part of the plan. The very discovery must have daunted him. Nothing larger than plants and small animal life had been found on the colonies, so the very prospect of aliens was…intimidating.

"Fine, _I'll_ take a look," Banner muttered, rolling his eyes at Connors behaviour.

He crouched down beside the nearest sac and opened his small tool case. Taking out a metal swab, he ran it along the side of the pod.

Harry blinked; he could have sworn that the pod _shivered_ in that moment.

"It's organic, alright." Banner called, reading out the results from his analyser, "I'm not sure what it is exactly…oh, hold the phone…"

The group gaped in astonishment; the sac was becoming clearer and clearer before their very eyes until it was nearly translucent. Fumbling in excitement, Banner illuminated the surface of the egg with his torch and very nearly dropped it as the contents was revealed.

Inside, amidst a sea of fluid, they could just make out a long-legged creature furling and unfurling what appeared to be its tail.

They had uncovered alien life. They had uncovered an _egg_, of all things!

Whilst the sight greatly interested Harry, as it was his nature as an android to _learn_, the marines packed in beside him looked pale. Even Peter, who couldn't hide the curiosity bursting from within, looked positively frightened.

By now, the pod was positively quivering, and startled yelps ran out as the creature inside began to writhe. Almost immediately, the marines cocked their guns, sights set on the egg whilst Banner stumbled back in surprise, clearly surprised by the strange movements of the alien.

"Dr. Banner…" Bucky called warningly, restraining Flash Thompson who was practically dry-heaving.

Then, with a strange hissing, the top of the egg began to unfurl slightly, like petals.

"Oh, I think it's going to hatch!" Banner said in astonishment, picking up his swab in preparation.

Alarmed, Bucky tried again, _"Dr. Banner_, are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Quite suddenly, the egg burst with a hideous _squelch_.

Like slow motion, the creature flew through the air with its legs outstretched and its tail waving like a crooked pendulum. Almost immediately, a volley of bullets shot through the air at the creature, smoke rising from the gun nozzles.

But it was too late.

The creature landed on Banner, who barely had time to scream, before its legs latched mechanically around his head whilst its tail curled like a whip around his neck.

The scientist fell backwards with a _crash_ and the gunfire stopped.

Time seemed to stand still as the smoke cleared.

What they saw, shook them all.

There on the floor, was Banner with the creature latched determinately to his face. They all rushed forwards, panic running through their systems, in order to help the poor scientist.

Distracted by the attack, the group failed to notice as yet another egg burst and another creature of nightmares sailed determinately through the air, intent on finding a host.

But Harry did.

Systems working like wild-fire, Harry instantly measured the creature's trajectory. Not wasting any more time, Harry leapt across the room and grabbed the beast by its tail before it could latch onto Peter Parker's terrified face.

The marine fell back onto the floor, his chest heaving in panic.

Before his eyes, the creature writhed madly, clawing at the air tirelessly and desperately trying to escape Harry's iron-like grip.

Surprised by its tenacity and strength, Harry began to swing the demon around by its tail.

After several strong swings, he panicked, and immediately slammed the creature against the nearest wall, with as much strength as he could muster. It hit the wall with a sickening crunch, and grew still, obviously stunned. Not taking any risks, he repeatedly beat it against the wall with an astonishing amount of ferocity until there was nothing left but a mangled pile of limbs, burning through the wall. Flecks flew through the air, landing on Harry's arm, burning through the artificial skin and onto the floor.

He threw the tail across the room in disgust, before examining his own arm for any damage to his inner circuits. Luckily, little damage.

"Watch out, the blood is acidic!" Harry yelled, as even more of the eggs began to open and the creatures inside began to squirm.

"That's it!" the lieutenant roared, "We're sending these things back to hell!"

Wildness in his eyes, Bucky immediately swung around and began to fire madly at the remaining eggs, and the other marines quickly followed suit.

In a sight that made their stomachs wrench, many of the eggs exploded, splattering slime and gunk into the air and drenching every surface nearby. A foul smell arose from the fetid remains, intermingling with the acrid smoke of the creature Harry had killed prior.

"Felicia! Natasha!" Bucky roared amidst the gunfire; "Burn these damned things!"

Nodding, both women cocked their flame-throwers and let fly. Great jets of flame issued from the weapons, engulfing what was left of the leathery orbs.

Any remains immediately went up in fire and smoke.

A collective sigh ran through the room.

"Is that all of them?" Flash called miserably.

Bucky did not answer, and instead began speaking hurriedly into his comm-link:

"Peggy? Do you copy? The ship is overrun with hostile creatures."

A strange howling, ear-splitting sounded.

It was a muffled sound, but close enough for panic to run through the group. It seemed to close in around them.

"What the _hell_ was that?"

The question was ignored and cocking his gun, Bucky headed towards the door.

"Brace yourselves." He said.

* * *

If Harry had been of flesh and blood, the following moments would have surely been forgotten in a blur of metallic teeth, ribbed tails, rampant gunfire, and screaming. As it was, he was doomed register each and every movement as the creatures burst through the door and fell upon them.

Each scream, bullet, searing splash of acid, each torrent of blood, and brutal impact of alien upon man.

It was chaos.

It was hell.

Cocking his gun, Harry concentrated upon hitting each creature that came too close to the marines, and the occasional one that came his way. They seemed less interested in him, as they were in the younger marines like Peter or Felicia.

_"Retreat!" _

Already, they were overwhelmed. Bucky was a smart commander. These colossal beasts were too much. The perfect weapon.

Norman would like them…

Still firing their guns, screaming, the group hurriedly made their way to the corridor, a teeming wall of flesh and thrashing tails closing in on them.

Harry's coding overtook the faint part of him feeling a sense of panic. Instead, he pushed the marines forcibly through the door, making sure they went in before him. Group II was nowhere to be seen, probably separated from them by the hoard of demons.

They continued with this pattern, Harry pushing the marines back, and a wall of fire erupting around him to push back the aliens.

A flash of movement caught his eye, Peter had tripped.

Already, he had crossed that space and thrown Peter back towards the door, putting himself in his place. Peter's screaming filled his ears.

Already, flamethrowers were poised, but one beast broke through the wall of flame.

Its massive tail connected forcefully with Harry's abdomen and he was sent flying backwards into the corridor wall. A volley of bullets sang through the air and struck the beast and Felicia let fly with her flame-thrower. Soon all that was left was a sad pile of ash and the acrid smell of the beast's blood burning through the walls.

_"Harry!"_

Peter's shriek rang through his system and though his gaze was fuzzy, he could just make out Peter's outline as he ran to his side. Harry coughed to clear his throat of the android fluid that had become displaced and it dribbled down his chin messily, making for a gruesome picture. He looked up to see Peter supporting him awkwardly, all whilst still struggling to make his way down the corridor.

"Osborn's son is an _android_…? That man is fucking _sick."_

That was Sam. He was right, in a way.

"Don't talk about him like that! He's still Harry!"

Harry managed a small smile of gratitude at Peter's comment, but brushed the young man away. He didn't need anyone to defend his questionable humanity, though when Peter did it, it made him feel warm somehow. Though that may have just been his circuits over-heating…

"Enough of this!" Bucky barked angrily, weary with fear for his team; "We need to keep moving and get some distance between us and those…things."

* * *

The inhumane shrieking, though muffled, seemed to sound from all directions – permeating the very walls of the narrow corridors.

"Keep moving." Bucky said mechanically; and Harry had lost count of how many times he'd said it, each time less reassuring than the last.

When they did come to a stop, it was on the main bridge where the primary on-board computers were located, and hopefully an explanation for the creatures.

"Let's work on barring these doors, marines! Harry, I need you to try accessing the on-board computers to manually shut this door, and for any information. Anything. Quickly."

Despite their trauma, the team sprung to life and began to work with an admirable amount of speed. Harry quickly made his way over to the computers, which appeared intact.

Meanwhile, he could overhear Bucky trying to page Group II, who had separated from them in the chaos. Harry had seen it all, but Bucky with his human limitations surely had not.

"Group II, do you copy? Steve? Natasha? Over."

_"Roger that, this is Natasha, over."_

"What is your status, over?"

_"No casualties. Barton's been hit in the leg, but minor injuries overall. We have Dr. Banner and are headed towards the hangar bay, over."_

"Roger that. Get back on the _Reed _and get Banner to safety, notify Group I to ready the dropship. No casualties on this side. We are trying to access the primary on-board computers and will join you soon, over."

Drawing the majority of his attention back to the computer, Harry soon found the door controls. Hands flying across the keys, he quickly fixed the door. It would take a while for the creatures to get through with the locks in place. The debris the marines were piling up against the door would help as well.

With the doors barred, the marines stood beside Harry and Bucky.

A buzz of static ran out from Bucky's comm-link, as Peggy hailed them.

Peggy's voice was laced with panic, but she remained cohesive, _"Group I! Do you read me? The lifeforms are following the spectagraphs! I can't turn them off remotely, they're too far away. You need to turn them off immediately before they finish the loop and reach Group I!"_

The lieutenant whirled around to face Felicia, his expression panicked.

"Turn them off, Felicia! For god's sake, turn them off!" He quickly touched his ear, "Yeah, we hear you Peggy! We're turning them off!"

"They're off! They're off!" Felicia said hurriedly.

The room was enveloped in a strangled silence.

Peggy's voice sounded unusually high and broken as she managed to whisper, _"Group 3 has been completely wiped out."_

"Shit."

**Notes: CLIFF-HANGER!**

**Is Group III alive...?**  
**Will everyone get out in time...?**  
**Will Bruce get that freaking facehugger off of his beautiful face?!**

**Bruce Banner, the eternal victim. He's not stupid, but he got a bit excited by alien life so…and he isn't even a biologist (Connors you little bitch). Also, Sam's not trying to insult Harry (Sam Wilson is an absolute gift, I will fight you), but Norman. 'Cus Norman is a sick bastard.**

**Also, in the Alien novelisation, the creature gets distracted by a green light which allows the engineer Parker to attempt to dispel it via the airlock. Therefore, it seemed to make sense that the Xenomorphs would be just as distracted by the spectagraphs (which move, as well as flash red).**

**Dry-heaving Flash was my favourite thing to write. Makes me laugh every time.**


	5. Part IV: The Prime Directive

**AN: Special shout out to MusVLuv (as well as those on AO3) who reviewed and encouraged me to churn out this chapter! **

**Thanks for the encouragement - it isn't easy writing this fic!**

**Part IV: The Prime Directive**

Everyone was silent.

As an android, Harry remained relatively impassive, but everyone else looked infuriated and confused. Of course, he too felt a slight sense of worry. Would they get out of this? The creatures were ferocious and would be sure to come back. Worst case scenario, he would be forever trapped upon this floating fortress, forced to watch his friends die one by one before surrendering himself to a lonely eternity. Not a nice thought.

Not at all.

Just thinking about it sent what he could only label as a 'cold' sensation shooting through his systems. The original Harry had been a social creature, intent upon finding acceptance anywhere he could. Even now, that same fear of loneliness had pervaded into him, the new Harry.

Or was that just a universal fear?

Perhaps it was normal for him to fear this. One of his prime concerns as a piece of Oscorp machinery was his own wellbeing.

Meanwhile, Bucky's voice was shaky as he talked through the comm-link, "Group II, do you copy? What is your status, over?"

_"This is Captain Rogers. We are still making our way to the hangar bay, Banner is in a stable condition but unresponsive. Over."_

Bucky's entire form seemed to sink towards the floor, so apparent was his relief.

Harry felt a little relieved too. So Group II was alright so far…but what of Group III? He did not want to state the obvious but their chances were clearly not good…

"Roger that. As you were, Group II." Bucky turned to face Harry; "Android."

"Yes?"

"Do you think you can identify these bodies?"

Harry shrugged, "My technology only goes so far, but I might be able to do something."

With a sense of apathy, he peered over the corpses in the room in turn. This indifference scared him. Whereas before the mere sight of a corpse would have sent him reeling and doubling over, now he was able to coolly examine the cadavers, prodding at their limbs and pinching their skin. Instead of overwhelming emotion, he felt a detached sort of sadness for the loss of life and nothing more. The loss of what was lacking inside himself had him feeling more emotional than any amount of death in front of him.

"The other bodies are too mangled with no identifying characteristics for me to figure out who they were. I've saved all information so perhaps we can identify them with more advanced systems later on. However, I have managed to identify two scavengers, Peter Quill and Gamora Titan, as well as the Commanding Officer of the _Gould_, Janet van Dyne."

"I think we can infer that the scavengers forced her to override the navigation route and probably the communication systems too." Felicia cut in.

Sam pulled a face, "I want to know how 'Star-Lord' managed to takedown an entire _Conestoga_…"

Bucky nodded with a bitter smile, "Somehow I think it was the Titan's work rather than Star-Lord's - but to determine that, we need to gain access to the on-board computer. Hopefully then we can figure out what these things are and how they got onto the ship…and maybe we'll figure out a way to help Banner."

The group surrounded the massive computer system and Bucky let Harry take the chair with a grunt.

"Alright, we'll need to be quick about this. I don't know where those creatures are or how far away they might be. Let's try and get as much information as possible."

Harry turned on the computer and began to check the systems for any obvious anomalies.

"Well, the computers appear to be functioning perfectly well so far," Harry said slowly.

Bucky nodded, a little relief in his features, "Good. Alright I'll see what I can do."

Harry rose out of the seat, allowing Bucky to step in.

The lieutenant began to tap away at the keys, flicking through several screens to get to the security files. Typing in a generic code that Harry had offered him, he quickly retrieved the security tapes and any other useful files he could find.

"Peggy, I'm wiring you some security records that I need you to go through. Let us know if there's anything worth mentioning. We need to help Dr. Banner. Over."

_"Roger that."_

Turning his attention back to the computer, Bucky began to communicate directly with the main A.I. of the ship, the on-board _Mother_. He typed in a question.

HOW DID THE ALIEN GET ON-BOARD?

A reply flashed onto the screen.

GOULD RESEARCH CREW COLLECTED SPECIMENS FROM PLANET LX-X9IV.

"_What?_ You mean they actually wanted these things on-board?"

An alien species was bound to be collected and studied, but this species was so incredibly hostile… How did they manage it in the first place? And once they figured out what they were…why were they not destroyed?

Harry smelled a rat. Norman probably.

Felicia quirked an eyebrow, "What about that planet, do we know anything about it?"

Bucky shrugged, "Never heard of it."

"I have," Harry said quietly; "It was discovered only a few years ago and currently it is strictly an Oscorp classified planet. Norman was particularly excited about it."

The memory had resurfaced dutifully as soon as Bucky had mentioned it. It was awfully handy for Harry that his memories acted like files or books, in that they could be pulled out with the simplest of words. Even memories that the first Harry would have forgotten.

"Oh?" Bucky's eyes flashed darkly, "Well, let's find out some more shall we?"

He bent over to tap at the keys.

WHY WAS THE ALIEN COLLECTED?

The computer whirred quietly as it processed the new question, only it seemed to take longer than the first time. Eventually, the answer flashed upon the screen.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PURPOSES.

Bucky hissed, "Well that's not very helpful. I think that's pretty _darn_ obvious, don't you?"

He tried again, tapping at the keys with a bit more force.

WHAT DOES OSCORP WANT WITH THE ALIEN?

The gentle ticking went on for a full minute before the computer regurgitated its response.

SPECIAL ORDER 968. SCIENCE PERSONNEL EYES ONLY. RESTRICTED INFORMATION.

"This is bullshit! Bruce is incapacitated and those other scientists could be anywhere on this ship."

Bucky's outburst was accompanied by disgruntled noises from the others, who began to frown and mutter amongst themselves.

Clearing his throat, Harry stepped forward, "I may be able to access that information. I am an Osborn, as well as an Oscorp android."

The group fell silent and Bucky coughed awkwardly, "Yeah okay, you try it then."

Harry's fingers flitted across the keys and he went over every password that he'd ever seen Norman use.

He tapped in another question slowly, mulling over what would be the most appropriate and direct wording.

WHAT WAS THE PRIME DIRECTIVE OF THE GOULD SCIENCE OFFICER/S?

The same chastising answer flickered onto the screen.

SPECIAL ORDER 968. SCIENCE PERSONNEL EYES ONLY. RESTRICTED INFORMATION.

Harry cursed silently, but persevered. He would have to use his android expertise, as well as his Oscorp database. Quickly, he tapped away and entered every series of passwords he had seen Norman use before to override the system.

_Finally, something that fucking worked._

At a higher level of authority, he entered a different question.

WHAT IS SPECIAL ORDER 968?

Harry waited with bated breath.

RETRIEVE AND RESTRAIN SPECIES: XENOMORPH XX121 AND RETURN SPECIMEN TO EXPENDABLE.

A string of cussing reverberated around the room as the apathetic letters appeared on the screen. Bucky's face was so cold with fury that it made everyone stand back a bit.

"Are you telling me that at least a dozen good marines are _dead_ because of Oscorp?"

With perfect timing, Bucky's comm-link began to buzz as the _Reed_ paged him.

_"Bucky."_

Peggy's voice was laced with concern.

"What?"

_"We managed to sort through some of the more recent scientific records and security videos that you sent us."_ Peggy paused briefly before continuing. Everyone exchanged pointed looks, eager to hear the news.

_"…the_ Gould _science personnel had managed to retrieve four of those things, from god knows where, in jars. They were only in the early stages of their evolution, according to Dr. Stacey. After looking at the security videos, we've concluded that those things escaped when the scavengers hi-jacked the ship. The scavengers were going to sell those things, as well as any Oscorp tech, on the black-market, but obviously they didn't handle their cargo carefully enough."_

Bucky turned his gaze to look sharply at Harry, as if he were sizing him up. Harry stared coolly back at him - he would not be intimidated. It was kind of insulting that he thought he was in league with the others…

"Peggy." Bucky's voice was scarily even.

_"Yes?"_

"Don't let any of the Oscorp representatives back on board without mine or Steve's say-so. They've been stringing us along from the start. They just want their specimens back, and I'm willing to bet they'll sacrifice any of us to do so."

There was an awkward pause before Peggy answered him, her voice much quieter as if she was whispering into the comm-link.

_"I have Dr. Stacy on board…what are you suggesting I do?"_

Swearing lightly, Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"J-just keep an eye on them for now…they might not even be in on it. But expect the worst. These guys will do anything to get that specimen back."

_"Roger that."_ Peggy said smoothly, before disconnecting.

The room became enveloped in an awkward silence as the entire group turned to survey Harry with curiosity and suspicion. Bucky turned to him with a furrowed brow.

"Well, Osborn, it looks like your daddy's been herding some dangerous and very illegal cargo…"

"You don't believe I'm with them do you?"

From the look on Bucky's face, Harry would have to convince him of his innocence.

"All I've done so far is help you! I've made no efforts to capture one of those things, only destroy them. In fact, I didn't even know those creatures existed, much less that Norman wanted them. I'm only on this stupid mission because he wanted to send me away so he wouldn't have to look at his failure of a son."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't just leave you here for the creatures to nab."

_Well, this wasn't looking so good anymore…_

"He's not even a real Osborn, Bucky. He's an android. You know that." Peter's voice was slightly defensive, but held no real conviction.

"It might be in his programming…_we don't know do we_?"

Clutching at straws, Harry spoke evenly, "What about Natasha? Do you doubt her? Or Loki? He's an android _and_ a science officer. They are both Oscorp models too. I may be an Oscorp representative, but I have as much chance of being corrupt as they are."

He smiled bitterly, "Only, I'm part Replicant too. That means I have a higher order of freewill than they do. Norman designed me that way – to imitate life as closely as possible, to fill his son's shoes. If I have freewill than that means I can choose to disobey his orders. "

He paused and gestured to the group around him smiling coyly, "I'm clearly out-numbered so no fear that I'll make the wrong decision. We skin-jobs are unnaturally strong, but I think _three _marines and a burly engineer have an advantage on me. Somehow."

Perhaps the snarky finish was a bit too much, but the group was silent, clearly absorbing his words. The anticipation did not affect Harry much, who calmly waited for their verdict. Either they left him or they did not. Though his chances of survival might be higher if he tagged along with them.

"I believe him. His eyes are gold and everything."

Peter again. _That boy had a strange fixation on him…_

"Yeah, me too."

Sam. _He'd had had an inkling that the engineer would be good company._

The group turned to Felicia, who nodded her consent, and then they all looked to their leader's verdict. Bucky looked skeptical, but he too nodded.

"You've certainly done well enough for us so far. Just don't prove me wrong in trusting you."

* * *

Intent on warning the others, Bucky had turned to stand in the corner momentarily to page down Steve or Natasha.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group meandered around the room and sorted through any potential weapons the dead scavengers possessed. Most of the weapons had belonged to the dead research crew and the marines. After prying a sleek VP78 pistol (an Oscorp invention), as well as a few smoke bombs, from the hands of a rotting scavenger, Harry went to stand by the window.

The thick glass was dirty, yet the space outside the impressive starship could still be seen.

Looking out on the sheer emptiness always made him feel incredibly small. But now, in this situation, it comforted him. They were only very small people, which meant those ferocious creatures were only very small too. They could make it.

His joints moved in reflex as his system became aware of someone standing closely beside him. The light touch on his hand made his head tilt. Harry looked down in surprise to see Peter's hand slipping over his own resting upon the wide sill. Slowly, he raised his head to meet Peter's gaze.

"Hey," Peter smiled, "Are you doing okay?"

Harry furrowed his brow and quirked his mouth sarcastically, "Was that question really for me?"

"I know you're just as unsure as the rest of us." Peter said defensively, whilst his fingers traced patterns over Harry's fake wrist bone absentmindedly.

Caught up in the strange movements, Harry paused before answering, "That's true, in a way. But I'm an android, Parker. Just a machine."

As he said it, he pulled his hand away from the window sill and turned away from the window completely to lean his back against the sill instead. To his pleasure, Peter did not turn away, but scooted closer until their shoulders were touching. He could not technically feel it…but it still made him feel better.

"Well, 'just-a-machine' defended his humanity back there quite well. He also did a great job of getting us away from those creatures."

A small smile bit at the corners of his mouth.

It was strange, though. Why did Peter Parker insist on getting so close to him? He had kissed him so suddenly back on the _Reed_, and now he was touching him casually as if they had known each other for years. It was a weird way to interact with a robot – or at least a robot of his function. He couldn't speak for the poor pleasure models.

"You seem awfully convinced that I'm more than an imitation of man made up of metal wiring and android fluids…" Harry finally ventured, eyeing Peter curiously.

Peter blinked, "Well that would be because I don't think you can measure someone's humanity or capacity for good by how 'human' they are. You can be more than what made you."

"How do you know?"

"Because back on Earth I've seen rogue Replicants been shot down in the middle of the street for venturing beyond their masters, for wanting more, for daring to dream. And I believe that they do dream. I believe that you dream."

* * *

Their brief moment together was cut short, as Bucky called the group together. The lieutenant looked upset and unsure with himself.

"Alright, change of plan," Bucky said wearily, "We're going to try and reach the med-bay. It isn't too far from here and Peggy should be able to keep us updated on where those things are. If there's any chance of helping Dr. Banner, it'll hopefully be there."

The group did not look happy and Harry did not like the idea either, but if there was the slightest chance of saving Bruce…

Peter appeared momentarily confused, "Why do you say that?"

"I'm hoping that the Gould scientists managed to study this thing and what it does. If not, they may have recorded what happened to the first few unlucky bastards who got hit with one."

Sam nodded in agreement, though his tone was reluctant, "You're right. I've been on the _Reed _for a number of years and if anyone who got hit by an alien was moved to the med-bay, there should be at least some information on the incident. The autodoc or med-computer should have recorded everything."

Biting his lip, Bucky continued, "I-I hate to put you guys through this. But we have to keep moving anyway and we'll be safer in a group, I think. Group II is already heading back to the hangar bay with Bruce, so we should try, for his sake."

Felicia put a hand on his shoulder, and her tone was firm, "We're not going to bow out now. You're right in that we need to stick together."

The rest of the group nodded, their hearts heavy but full of determination.

They could do this.

They could survive.

* * *

The flickering lights and darkened halls of the _Gould _felt even more daunting, as the group made their way quietly towards the med-bay. They winced with every heavy-footfall against the metal grating and every passing shadow that flickered against the walls.

Running steadily at the back of the group, Harry could see a cold sweat building up at the back of Peter's neck, and Sam was visibly shaking. The effects of utter fear were interesting to observe, but Harry felt a sense of concern for his team mates.

Just before, they had come together in a moment of solidarity. Sam and Peter had stood up for him, and the group as a whole had strengthened for the sake of Dr. Banner. But just how far would they allow themselves to be pushed before they snapped? This situation was highly stressful and already they were filled with dread. Tensions were running high as it was, so how long before they began to make enemies of each other?

Could he protect them from themselves if the situation called for it?

* * *

With a surprising amount of strength, Peter managed to push the sliding door shut and lock it. A collective sigh of relief rang through the group. How they had managed to make their way to the med-bay with nearly no-incidents was beyond them. Only one creature had crossed their path, but it had been young and with their combined efforts they had managed to smoke it to high heaven. Now they were in the med-bay, and the creatures were outside. The door was a small, temporary barrier but a barrier nonetheless.

Peter heaved against the door, letting his breath catch, and Bucky slapped him over the shoulder in thanks.

"Everyone, quick! Scope the area and let's clean out this bay of any more of those dratted demons." Bucky said hoarsely before turning his attention to Harry; "You, android, start accessing those files and wire them over to the Executive Officer. That's your number one priority."

As the crew scoured the room with guns held aloft, Harry sprinted over to the far end of the bay where the only surviving autodoc and the nearing computer systems were. Luckily, the med-bay computers had been powered up when they had turned on the on-board computer.

"All clear!" Felicia called.

"Yep, over here too." Sam said.

"Roger that!"

Soon they were all crowding around the computer beside Harry, whose fingers were flying across the keys as he tried to find the med-bay security footage and reports.

_Ah. Success._

"Lieutenant, I'm sending the files over to the _Reed_ for analysis but I can play them in real-time if you're curious."

Well, _Harry_ was certainly curious anyway.

Bucky nodded, "Yep. Fire it up."

"Okay…I'm rewinding the footage back a few hours to the day we lost contact…"

"Everything looks normal so far. Go forward."

Harry did.

"Still normal. Go to an hour after loss of contact...ah, there we go. That's a lot of patients."

Peter paled, "T-there! One of them has one of those aliens attached to his face."

"Android, sift through the corresponding medical records," Bucky ordered before turning back to the screen; "Oh my god. There's another one, and still lots of additional patients. Looks like burns or contact with some sort of corrosive material."

"Bucky," Harry called, "I've just surveyed through this autodoc's databanks. Records state that the medbay was full after we lost contact with the _Gould_. Lots of acidic burns and a few patients with that t-thing attached to them."

Sam choked, "Geez! How the hell did those things get out?"

"I don't want to think about it," Bucky said bitterly; "Bring up those records on the screen. I want to see them."

Harry obeyed.

Bucky's eyes flickered over the names quickly and then narrowed, "…looks like some of these patients weren't authorised crew members. More scavengers, perhaps?"

"…according to my databases, some of these people are wanted criminals. Apparently this autodoc treated one Arthur Douglas, more commonly known as 'Drax the Destroyer'. Looks like there were quite a lot of Scavengers got on board."

Peter laughed, "Drax the _Destroyer_? That's a pretty stupid name."

"Let the android finish!" Bucky snapped, and Harry gave him a grateful smile.

Now was not the time for jokes.

"Uhh, what's important is that all of these patients were displaying the exact symptoms, save for those who had been hooked up to the machines prior to loss of contact. The hospitalisations occurred around five or so hours after initial loss of contact. Patients were made up of both crew and unauthorised passengers."

Bucky scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Make sure you're recording all of this, android. The higher-ups will want to know why their _Conestoga_ was so easily overrun by a bunch of pathetic space pirates."

Harry nodded.

"I'm wiring these patient records over to the _Reed_," Felicia stated; "hopefully they will be able to help Dr. Banner."

"Anything particularly important that I should let Group II know, android?"

"According to the records, the alien life has extremely concentrated acid for blood. Hence the absurd number of patients. It says the crew tried to remove an alien from an afflicted party and very nearly took his face off with it. When they tried to cut the legs off, well, it began to bleed. I'm sure you can imagine what happened then…."

Harry trailed off. Everyone's faces had gone pale. Peter looked sick.

Bucky nodded dumbly before warning Group II over the comm system.

"Okay, go forward a few hours. I want to see if there are any changes in his condition."

"Yes sir," Harry said.

The figures on screen zoomed around at an absurd rate as Harry fast-forwarded the recording. Eventually, it came to a stop; around twelve hours after the man had been brought into the medbay.

On the screen, Douglas was pictured lying motionless in the autodoc, with the spidery creature still attached quite determinately to his face. The subtly rise and fall of its form as it breathed sent a shiver down everyone's spines. It was a horrid looking creature.

"…still no change. Something's recorded here in the written records though…"

From beside Harry, Peter gave a sudden start and a smothered "Oh!"

All eyes were fixated on the screen as suddenly the creature fastened to Douglas' head gave a horrific shudder. Pathetically, it rolled off of the man's heavily tattooed face and fell still beside the man's motionless body. From the rise and fall of his chest, the man was clearly still alive.

Like Peter, the science officers on screen gave off panicked shouts as the creature fell still.

_"Check this man's vitals!"_

_"Is the xenomorph dead?"_

Bucky glared, "Is that it?"

Harry shook his head, "There's further records. I'll fast-forward it."

Three hours later, the man had apparently woken up.

"Looks like the science officers cleared him. He was distributing signs of perfect health."

"Then why did he die an hour later?" Bucky mused.

Harry quickly fast-forwarded the recording again.

He quickly wished he had not.

On screen, the man was sitting upon the auto-doc, a bored expression upon his face. Until the convulsions began. Sharp tremors wracked his body and the man on screen began to yelp at blood-curdling volumes.

Shockingly, blood began to pool around the centre of his chest, staining his perfectly white shirt. The man's entire body was thrust forwards into the air and the blood began to weep.

Peter yelped as on screen, a hideous pale thing erupted from the man's chest in a torrent of blood and effectively rupturing his ribcage. With a piercing shriek it smashed headfirst through the glass of the autodoc and scuttled past screaming science officers in its bid for freedom.

With the advantage of chaos, it managed to escape the med-bay.

The room was silent save for the quiet buzzing of both the computer and of Harry's systems. He could hear them whirring as they processed this horrifying and utterly traumatising information.

Silently, they all turned to Bucky.

"We have to warn Group II," Bucky said, a look of horror seeping onto his face; "They can't let Dr Banner back onto the U.S.S. _Reed_."

**NOTES:**

**Quarantine alert! **

**Who will save Dr. Banner? Will the creatures infect the U.S.S. Reed? Will someone please make Peter shut up for five minutes? Will Bucky ever make it back onto the _Reed_ and relieve himself of this awful headache?**

**Oh the horror!**

**Tune in for the next instalment of this weird-ass space opera fic (it's more of a space-opera than anything else at this point. Five bucks that the Group I will eat Peter to shut him up, also Bucky will probably get pregnant, and Felicia will contract a terminal disease).**

**Writing that scene between Harry+ Peter was my legit favourite part of this chapter. It's such a gentle conversation and everytime I go back over it I start gushing in my head. I've had that planned since day 1. The conversation w/ _Mother_ comes close second. Special Order 968 is the legit order from the Alien novelisation. I love how bloody cold the computer is to the danger that the crew face. Fuck you, Ash.**

**BTW, the Voight-Kampff is used to determine whether or not someone is a Replicant. Canonically, you shouldn't be able to tell if someone is a Replicant from the gold of their eyes (rather it is a symbol to reveal that Replicants aren't emotionless and evil, but that they have souls [it also connects them to the electric animals and highlights that like this priceless commodity, Replicants also have value – a value of life, of being REAL) but for the sake of creativity I have used it in this fic to my own ends. FUCK I LOVE THE SYMBOLISM IN THIS MOVIE. IF YOU HAVEN'T YET, GO WATCH BLADE RUNNER.**


End file.
